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IKEA Group (INGKA Holding B.V.)

Home FurnishingsFounded 1943
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

IKEA: CEO History

3 leaders · 2009 to present

Who is the CEO of IKEA?

Juvencio Maeztu is the CEO of IKEA, in the role since 2025. The first chief executive was Mikael Ohlsson, from 2009.

Current CEO
Juvencio Maeztu (since 2025)
First CEO
Mikael Ohlsson (2009)
Leaders documented
3
Founded
1943
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Juvencio MaeztuCEO and President, Ingka Group2025Present1
Jesper BrodinFormer CEO, Ingka Group201720258
Mikael OhlssonPresident and Chief Executive Officer, IKEA Group200920134
Who was CEO of IKEA before Juvencio Maeztu?
Jesper Brodin was CEO of IKEA from 2017 to 2025, before Juvencio Maeztu took over in 2025.

Company Overview

IKEA sells home furnishings through a franchise system with 13 franchisee groups. Inter IKEA owns the IKEA concept, develops the product range and supplies retailers. Ingka Group is the largest retail franchisee, operating IKEA stores and other businesses. Across the franchise system, FY2025 retail sales were EUR 44.6 billion, and IKEA reported 222,000 co-workers worldwide. Those retail sales are a customer-sales measure, not the consolidated revenue of either Ingka Group or Inter IKEA Group. Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in Sweden in 1943.

Juvencio Maeztu

CEO and President, Ingka Group

2025 – Present

1 year (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Succeeded Jesper Brodin in November 2025 after serving as Ingka Deputy CEO and CFO and earlier leading IKEA India. Backed a ~$1.36B (EUR 1.2B) European price investment from September 2026 and a further ~$79.1M (EUR 70M) for Asia and North America, saying Ingka would accept a lower margin.

Legacy

Leads Ingka Group, which reported ~$46.9B (EUR 41.5B) revenue and ~$1.58B (EUR 1.4B) net profit in FY2025, with a focus on speed, low cost, and simplicity, smaller store formats, and affordability.

Source →

Jesper Brodin

Former CEO, Ingka Group

2017 – 2025

8 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Recognizing the existential threat of digital disruption, Jesper Brodin executed a multi-billion-dollar operational pivot toward comprehensive omnichannel retail. He made the critical strategic decision to transition the legacy business away from a pure reliance on suburban warehouses by investing in sophisticated e-commerce fulfillment infrastructure and establishing smaller, accessible urban storefronts in major global cities.

Legacy

Brodin's pragmatic, strategic leadership effectively modernized the historic retailer for the digital age. His proactive investments in sustainable energy and circular economy initiatives reinforced the brand's long-term environmental commitments while actively driving sustained revenue growth during significant macroeconomic volatility. His investments in emerging retail technologies cemented the company's dominance for many years, proving his strategic skill during a period of intense global disruption. His ability to force structural change upon a conservative industry proved to be his defining legacy.

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Mikael Ohlsson

President and Chief Executive Officer, IKEA Group

2009 – 2013

4 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Ohlsson became chief executive of IKEA Group in 2009.

Legacy

He published the group's financial results in detail for the first time. Peter Agnefjall succeeded him in 2013.

Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

IKEA's biggest pressure in 2025-2026 is protecting low prices while costs move against it. Inter IKEA said trade uncertainty and tariffs raised sourcing costs in the second half of FY2025, and Ingka Group's IKEA Retail sales fell 1.6% to ~$44.1 billion (EUR 39 billion) even as volumes rose 1.6%. In May 2026 Inter IKEA announced about 850 job cuts to simplify operations and fund price cuts, and in September 2026 the IKEA system committed ~$1.36 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) to lower prices in Europe, accepting thinner margins. Other structural challenges include the fixed cost of large out-of-town stores, the shift to smaller city formats and online fulfilment, EU deforestation and supply-chain traceability rules for wood and cotton, and competition from Amazon, Wayfair, and mass merchants in low-price furniture.

IKEA CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is Jesper Brodin and what was his impact as CEO of Ingka Group?

Jesper Brodin was President and CEO of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, from 2017 until November 2025, when Juvencio Maeztu succeeded him. A former executive assistant to founder Ingvar Kamprad, Brodin led IKEA's large digital transformation, invested billions in renewable energy, launched city-center store formats, and acquired TaskRabbit.

Who is Juvencio Maeztu and what is his role at Ingka Group?

Juvencio Maeztu became CEO and President of Ingka Group in November 2025. He previously served as Ingka Deputy CEO and CFO and earlier led IKEA India, overseeing the brand's entry into the Indian market.

Who is Jon Abrahamsson Ring and what is his role as CEO of Inter IKEA Group?

Jon Abrahamsson Ring serves as the CEO of Inter IKEA Group, responsible for worldwide product range development, global supply chain manufacturing agreements, and managing the core IKEA concept and franchise agreements.

Who was Peter Agnefjäll and what were his achievements as CEO from 2013 to 2017?

Peter Agnefjäll served as CEO of Ingka Group from 2013 to 2017, initiating IKEA's initial e-commerce rollout, scaling sustainable forestry programs, and expanding store footprints across China, Russia, and South Korea.

Who was Mikael Ohlsson and what characterized his tenure as CEO from 2009 to 2013?

Mikael Ohlsson served as CEO during the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, reinforcing IKEA's low-price positioning, integrating sustainability into supply chains, and driving large sales volume growth across North America.

Who was Anders Dahlvig and how did he expand IKEA globally from 1999 to 2009?

Anders Dahlvig led IKEA through a decade of rapid international expansion, doubling company revenue, professionalizing CSR and environmental standards (IWAY code of conduct), and authoring 'The IKEA Edge.'

How did Ingvar Kamprad guide IKEA's leadership even after officially retiring as CEO in 1986?

After stepping down as CEO in 1986, Ingvar Kamprad served as senior advisor on the supervisory boards until his passing in 2018, regularly visiting stores worldwide in worn clothing, inspiring employees ('co-workers'), and ensuring adherence to the 'Testament of a Furniture Dealer.'

What is the leadership culture and terminology used across IKEA management?

IKEA operates with flat organizational hierarchies, referring to all employees as 'co-workers.' Leaders are expected to lead by example (frugality, humility, equality, hands-on store work), rejecting corporate perks like business-class travel and luxury executive suites.

Who is the CEO of IKEA?

Jesper Brodin serves as CEO of the Ingka Group (the massive holding company that operates the vast majority of IKEA stores). He took over in 2017 and executed a massive strategic pivot. Realizing that younger Gen Z consumers don't own cars to drive to the suburbs, he aggressively launched smaller, "planning studio" stores in the absolute center of massive global cities.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.